40 years for a trail of death

Kathleen Folbigg, 36, stared blankly into the distance as Justice Graham Barr yesterday imposed one of the longest jail sentences given to a woman in NSW over the deaths of her four children.

Folbigg must serve at least 30 years of her 40-year sentence - and will be at least 65 before being eligible for parole.

She was convicted of murdering three of her children, the manslaughter of a fourth and for inflicting grievous bodily harm on one of them between 1989 and 1999.

Justice Barr said Folbigg must never again be given the responsibility of caring for children.

He found the murders were the result of Folbigg's inability to cope because of a personality disorder brought about by severe childhood abuse.

The abuse, of a physical, emotional and perhaps sexual nature, was perpetrated by her father, who murdered her mother when Folbigg was 18 months old. Her mother also had been neglectful, and the combined abuse left Folbigg unable to form emotional bonds, Justice Barr said.

In May, a Supreme Court jury found Folbigg had murdered her children, Patrick, Sarah and Laura - aged between eight and 19 months - between 1991 and 1999 in Newcastle and Singleton. She was also found guilty of the manslaughter of Caleb, who was 19 days old when he died in Newcastle in 1989.

Justice Barr said he believed Folbigg was remorseful but was unlikely to acknowledge the offences. "If she does, she may very well commit suicide," he said.

Folbigg's lawyers said outside the court that she maintained her innocence and would appeal.